While we’ll be entering September in the thick of a Mercury retrograde in Virgo -- the sign of order, nurture, and groundedness -- we can take solace in knowing that, despite this planetary alignment usually signaling a breakdown in communication, travel, or planning, there will also be some moments that give us a little room to breathe this month. On September 3, Venus, the planet of love and romance, which has been retrograding for most of the summer, will finally station direct in happy-go-lucky Leo. This will bring about a much needed release of any lingering tensions in relationships, and encourage a more light-hearted sense of playfulness in our interactions with each other. Still, this Mercury in retrograde will be particularly harsh. Take a little extra time to solidify your agenda, and this season will reward you with a cozy sense of serenity. We think the following books will help keep you grounded, just like our girl Virgo.

Aries (March 21 - April 19)

As much as you love to move at warp speed, Aries, this Mercury retrograde is asking you to slow down and pay attention to the details of your routines. Whether it’s work habits, a health regimen, or self-care rituals, making sure you’re not cutting corners is crucial to your long-term success. Stay focused on your goals, and make sure you follow through with every step. Check out Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies: And Other Rituals to Fix Your Life, from Someone Who's Been There by Tara Schuster, the former vice president at Comedy Central who helped launch heavyweights like Key & Peele to superstardom. The book takes readers on an honest and sometimes downright gnarly journey to learn self-love.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20)

For the first half of the month, Taurus, you may feel the retrograde causing tension in your relationships or creative projects. What you thought was working may no longer be serving you, and you could be forced to reevaluate your patterns. The good news is, the second half of the month will put a spotlight on old ideas or past loves that will ultimately give you a fresh perspective on your current situation. Read Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow, about a young woman who grapples with her family history of violence and injustice, or try The Shipping News by Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Proulx, which explores the quiet perils of a struggling family living in the harsh terrain of Newfoundland as they try to piece together their lives and relationships. 

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

You’ve been busy tending to new ideas, Gemini, but now is the time to direct your energy to your immediate surroundings. Are there home projects you’ve been putting off, or family dynamics that need addressing? Put some serious effort into improving your homelife so that the rest of your undertakings have a strong foundation to lean on. We recommend The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, an international bestselling romantic comedy that Entertainment Weekly described as "bursting with warmth,” about a genetics professor who sets out to find a wife using his very own scientific method that ultimately proves that love can’t be measured.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22)

This mercury retrograde will be hell for you, Cancer: a communication breakdown. It could be a misinterpreted comment you make to a coworker, an overly pointed remark to a partner, or perhaps you accidentally hit send on a half-finished email. Whatever it may be, make sure you spend an extra minute or two to think about how you’re coming across to others. Check out Heaven by renowned Japanese author Mieko Kawakami, which was shortlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize. The story delves into the unique bond two schoolmates form as they wade through their shared trauma of being bullied and tormented by their peers.

Leo (July 23 - August 22)

With the sun moving out of your sign and into Virgo, you’ll be feeling extra low in the confidence department, Leo. Paired with the retrograde, you might be second guessing what it means to express yourself in a way that feels authentic. Take this time to concentrate on turning inward, whether it’s meditation, long walks, or an extra therapy session, and hone in on your intentions for the future. Try reading The Guest Cat by esteemed poet Takashi Hiraide which won Japan's Kiyama Shohei Literary Award and is about the little moments in a couple’s life that become more exciting thanks to a cat, or Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age by The New York Times-bestselling author Katherine May about reconnecting with the wonders of the tangible world.

Virgo (August 23 - September 22)

This is a big month for you, Virgo, with the sun moving into your sign and Mercury, your ruling planet, stationing retrograde. It's a configuration that may give you a big jolt of energy, but sends you careening in different, conflicting directions. The trick is to focus on one area so that you can progress efficiently. You may ask yourself what mark you really want to make on the world. The stars are aligning in support of such a deep dive. We recommend taking advantage of this greenlight to do some overdue soul-searching. Read The Night Circus, a #1 National Bestseller by Erin Morgenstern about two magicians who engage in a deadly battle of tricks but ultimately find love instead, or The Vegetarian by Han Kang which won the International Booker Prize and explores one woman’s struggle to assert her decision to become vegetarian within her family dynamic.

Libra (September 23 - October 22)

This month might have you feeling more homebody than social butterfly, Libra. Your internal world is screaming for attention, and that could mean an overhaul in your spiritual practices or how you speak to yourself. Don’t shy away from saying “No” to those dinner plans, and make sure to carve out some precious alone time. Check out The Woman Upstairs by New York Times bestselling author Claire Messud, about an elementary teacher in Cambridge, Massachusetts, who becomes infatuated with the family of one of her students. Or try Becky Chambers' Hugo Award-winning short novel, A Psalm for the Wild-Built, a robot-human buddy story that takes a deeper look at the needs and desires of humans. 

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)

Something might feel off when it comes to how you relate to people, Scorpio, and it might even be with your closest loved ones. Instead of bottling up how you’re feeling, get to the root of the problem by expressing yourself, or asking that cranky friend if there’s something bothering them. It could get gnarly, but it’s necessary to start healing. We recommend Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, which is a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick about a socially awkward woman who finds herself through a series of random interactions and friendships, or The Interestings, the New York Times-bestselling novel by Meg Wolitzer about the unfolding lives of six teenagers who met at a summer camp, and how finances and creating art intersect.

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)

Things at work might feel stagnant or out of balance, Sagittarius, but it’s because you’re being asked to look at things through a new lens. Whether it’s the way your boss is micromanaging you, or how people are responding to your social media persona, something needs to change in your approach before getting the result you desire. Read Girl, Woman, Other, the Booker Prize-winning novel by Bernardine Evaristo that paints a vivid portrait of an interconnected group of Black women living in contemporary Britain, or Hangman, the debut novel by Maya Binyam about a man who, after living in the U.S. for 26 years, returns home to sub-Saharan Africa and tries to find “home” again.

Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)

It’s been a sticky time in your emotional world, Capricorn, which is an uncomfortable state for you. But these new revelations will start to lead you down new paths, and while it may seem treacherous the retrograde asks you to trust your instincts. Trying out the road less traveled will ultimately help set you up for success. Try reading The Great Transition, the dystopian debut novel by Nick Fuller Googins that follows a young girl living in a post-climate crisis America as she searches for her mother, or Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple that The New York Times called "whip-smart and divinely funny" and which similarly examines a daughter’s search for her eccentric mother.

Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)

Break out the spreadsheets, Aquarius, it’s time to get your finances in order. Things may have gotten a little out of control over the last month when you put down your credit card without hesitation, but now it’s time to reel it in. Once you get your money sorted and squared, you’ll realize how much stress it was actually causing you. Check out Mobility by Lydia Kiesling that tells the story of oil through a coming-of-age tale of an American Foreign Service family teenager starting in 1998, or try I Hear You're Rich by Diane Williams, AKA the “godmother of flash fiction," according to The Paris Review, that includes 33 short stories capturing the essence of life, from affairs to afternoons in the garden.

Pisces (February 19 - March 20)

What does intimacy really mean to you, Pisces? This mercury retrograde asks you to investigate what kind of partnerships work best for you, whether it’s romantic or professional. It may even be time to say goodbye to some relationships that are no longer leading to your growth. But with loss new doors most certainly always open. We recommend Family Lore by National Book award winner Elizabeth Acevedo that delves into the history of a Dominican-American family as they come together for a fake wake, or Pop Song: Adventures in Art and Intimacy by Larissa Pham that explores the feeling of falling in love – whether it's with a person, place, or with art.